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Centennial Campaign

As JMU approaches its Centennial Celebration in 2008, the university is preparing to cross the threshold to national distinction. Since its inception JMU has been committed to providing the highest quality education to its students.

First named the State Normal and Industrial School for Women in Harrisonburg, JMU accepted its first students in September 1909. It was opened and operated as a teaching school for women.

JMU continues to hold fast to its core values and embarks on a campaign to expand its ability to offer programs of national distinction to students. This goal will require funding for faculty support, student scholarships, facilities and special initiatives.

The six-year campaign concludes in 2008 and JMU has dedicated the 2007-08 academic year to events to commemorate the university's centennial anniversary. The university-wide goal for this anniversary is $50 million. The College of Business hopes to support the university's initiative by raising $6 million. To date the CoB has raised $4.1 million and continues to accept annual and endowed gifts.

To partner with CoB by giving an annual or endowed gift or to learn more about annual and endowed gifts, contact Elizabeth Pharr, Director of Development for the CoB, at (540) 830-1261.

JMU Alumni Lead CoB Centennial Campaign

Craig and Kim Bram, both 1980 graduates of the College of Business (CoB), have been giving back to CoB through annual gifts for years. But when the Brams received the call that asked them to kick it up a notch, they were ready to say, "yes."

The Brams, along with Mike ('76, ‘77) and Kathy ('78) Thomas, are team leaders for the College of Business Centennial Campaign Committee (CCCC). While the CCCC members are donors to the CoB Centennial Endowments, they are now commanding a small army of alumni in the march toward a $6 million goal. That's the sum CoB hopes to raise during JMU's Centennial Campaign.

With less than two years left in the campaign (JMU turns 100 years old in March 2008) and $1.9 million to go, the Brams, Thomas's, and 14 more alumni have a strategy-call all their old buddies from CoB, explain why they financially support CoB, talk about the impact of their gifts and ask others to consider giving back to the university that helped shape their careers and lives. After all, says Craig, that's what this campaign is all about.

"My wife and I went to JMU and were both CoB undergraduates. We always had a soft spot for the school to begin with," says Craig, "so when Dr. Reid and Elizabeth called and asked us to get more involved, the time was right and we said ‘yes'."

"Everybody we've contacted had a good experience both in CoB and at JMU. We want to make sure future students have that same experience. And we want to improve the offerings so [that] the JMU experience is out there and we can attract quality students, and that takes money."

Annual gifts can be made to CoB or to its individual departments. But endowed gifts, the focus of this campaign, are permanent gifts that are never spent, only the interest is used as designated by the donor. These help support CoB's largest need, which is for faculty support and scholarships.

An endowment can be started for as little as $5,000 per year for five years, and a company match can be used. Annual gifts can be any amount. At most universities, alumni start by making annual gifts after graduation, which they continue to make throughout their lives, but at some point they may opt to add an endowed gift.

Giving back is enough motivation for the CCCC. But Craig offers potential donors another reason to give. "The states are not as flush with cash as they were 15 years ago, and they are not sharing as much money with universities. That makes endowments and private giving more important than it was 15 years ago," says Craig. And for those with a competitive spirit Craig puts up the challenge: JMU's endowments are much smaller than those of other Virginia schools-public and private. Alumni are usually shocked to learn that Longwood College has a larger endowment than JMU but half the number of alumni.

Much of what the CCCC team is doing right now, says Craig, is educating alumni about the need for giving.

To learn more about annual or endowed gifts to CoB, contact one of the committee members listed below, or Elizabeth Pharr, Director of Development for CoB, at (540)830-1261.

Click here to see a list of alumni and friends who have already contributed to the CoB Centennial Endowments.